Bullet train: Four companies submit bids for design-construction of underground BKC station

Four companies have submitted bids for the work involving design and construction of an underground station at Mumbai's Bandra Kurla Complex for the high speed rail corridor till Ahmedabad in neighbouring Gujarat, popularly known as the bullet train project, a National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited official said on Friday.

These firms are Larsen & Toubro Limited, J. Kumar Infraprojects Limited, Afcons Infrastructure Limited and MEIL-HCC Joint Venture, he said, adding the technical bids for the underground BKC station station were opened on Friday.

''Financial bids will be opened for technically qualified bidders once the technical evaluation is completed,'' the official informed.

BKC is the only underground station on the 500-kilometre long Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train corridor.

NHSRCL had invited bids for its design and construction in July this year under the multi-billion dollar project's C1 package.

In addition to BKC station, the C1 package tender also includes 'cut and cover' length of 467 metres and a ventilation shaft of 66 metres, which will also be used for taking out tunnel boring machines (retrieval shaft).

As per the NHSRCL release issued in July, the BKC station will have six platforms, each with a length of 415 metres, sufficient to operate 16-coach trains.

The platforms have been planned at a depth of about 24 metres beneath the ground, with the structure being three-level also having a concourse and service floor.

It said two entry/exit points are planned, one to facilitate access to a station of Metro Rail line 2B and the other towards MTNL building in the vicinity.